Corsair H100i - My Experience - Should I be angry?

[-ism]

Hey everyone,

 

I have had 3 H100i's now and I am starting to think that it is worthless to keep using it. My temps are great, which is good, but I just cant stand the noise. I am sitting about 2 maybe 3 feet from my computer and I have all of the fans set to the lowest possible setting. All connected via Corsair link. When I stop the fans with my finger the noise persists, so I have come to the conclusion that it must be the pump. This is the same sound I have had on my prior two H100is. My very first one was a lot louder but that was when it first came out and there were loads of issues. 

 

So my question is, if you have an H100i, can you hear it from your desk, and how far away from your chair is your PC and can you hear it? I feel like I shouldn't hear it at all but I can hear the damn thing from my bed and that is around 5 feet away and I don't think that's normal? Especially when the fans are all on the lowest settings. 

 

Should I even bother RMAing it again or should I just ask them for a refund? I really am annoyed with this. I am thinking about (if they give me my money back) getting an H105 instead or maybe a Swiftech H220, or switching to air.

 

I know lots of other people have had bad experiences with these coolers.

 

(Also my cooler is on the latest firmware as well as corsair link)

[connorpiper]

Mine is bad. But quiet and cools well. So I keep it. 

[flibberdipper]

Although the H220 is pretty nice, don't forget the Kraken AIO's from NZXT.

 

BTW, my Corsair fans (Air 540 stock ones in front, stock 120mm 300R's in the top) are near silent at 40%. Just saying. Nothing to do with the H100i, but whatevs.

[Enderman]

The problem is that you are using the stock fans.
There is an issue with the stock fans and the fan controller inside the pump. Replacing the fans completely fixes the problem.

The same thing happened to me, where a loud noise came from the pump, but replacing the fans made it completely silent.

If you RMA they will jsut give you the same fans as always, and that will not solve the problem. You have to go out and buy different fans. Every other fan I have tested with my H100i has not made any noise from the CPU block at all.

[-ism]

BTW, my Corsair fans (Air 540 stock ones in front, stock 120mm 300R's in the top) are near silent at 40%. Just saying. Nothing to do with the H100i, but whatevs.

 

The Corsair SP120Ls that came with the H100i are really quiet and so are the AF120Ls that came in the front and rear of my case. It's definitely the pump making the noise

[-ism]

The problem is that you are using the stock fans.

There is an issue with the stock fans and the fan controller inside the pump. Replacing the fans completely fixes the problem.

The same thing happened to me, where a loud noise came from the pump, but replacing the fans made it completely silent.

If you RMA they will jsut give you the same fans as always, and that will not solve the problem. You have to go out and buy different fans. Every other fan I have tested with my H100i has not made any noise from the CPU block at all.

 

I will try this. Do you suggest I use the mobo fan headers or the H100i's fan hub thing? I really hate my mobo's fan control so I would like to use Corsair link but in the quest for a quiet PC I will do what it takes.

 

Edit: Sorry for double post

[Enderman]

I will try this. Do you suggest I use the mobo fan headers or the H100i's fan hub thing? I really hate my mobo's fan control so I would like to use Corsair link but in the quest for a quiet PC I will do what it takes.

 

Edit: Sorry for double post

Use corsairs fan control if you dont like your motherboard's.

All you have to do is set the fan curve you want in corsair link and save, and you dont even have to have corsair open in the background, the H100i will follow the fan curve all the time.

[-ism]

Use corsairs fan control if you dont like your motherboard's.

All you have to do is set the fan curve you want in corsair link and save, and you dont even have to have corsair open in the background, the H100i will follow the fan curve all the time.

 

Thanks! One more question - Does it matter which fans I use? IE: Would the stock case fans in my case be considered "Different fans"? Is the issue caused just from the fans that come w/ the H100i? Or would I have the same effect from using stock case fans.

[Enderman]

Thanks! One more question - Does it matter which fans I use? IE: Would the stock case fans in my case be considered "Different fans"? Is the issue caused just from the fans that come w/ the H100i? Or would I have the same effect from using stock case fans.

Yeah your case fans would probably work fine and not make that horrible noise, test it to find out

But I would recommend eventually buying some proper pressure-optimised fans, because usually stock fans that come with cases are not the best fans for a radiator.

They will work, but replace them when you have the money

[-ism]

Yeah your case fans would probably work fine and not make that horrible noise, test it to find out

But I would recommend eventually buying some proper pressure-optimised fans, because usually stock fans that come with cases are not the best fans for a radiator.

They will work, but replace them when you have the money

 

Thanks so much for the help. Will try and get some soon. Trying to save for things like monitor, mouse, and a new case right now. I'll deal with the noise until then Dx

[Faceman]

Thanks so much for the help. Will try and get some soon. Trying to save for things like monitor, mouse, and a new case right now. I'll deal with the noise until then Dx

If you are stopping the fan blades with your fingers and still hear the noise, replacing the fans isnt going to help.  Its the pump.  It is known for being very noisy.

[Enderman]

Thanks so much for the help. Will try and get some soon. Trying to save for things like monitor, mouse, and a new case right now. I'll deal with the noise until then Dx

Good luck

 

If you are stopping the fan blades with your fingers and still hear the noise, replacing the fans isnt going to help.  Its the pump.  It is known for being very noisy.

No, it is an issue with the stock fans and the fan controller. For some stupid weird reason the fan controller INSIDE the H100i CPU block makes a really loud noise when the stock fans are attached. The pump is almost completely silent.

I replaced the the stock fans and the issue immediately stops. Also making the fans go to 100% seems to reduce the noise coming from the fan controller, and putting them below 50% makes it much louder.

 

Obviously you dont have an H100i to know this for yourself, but I investigated and troubleshooted mine until I found the issue is 100% the stock fans. All other brands of fans I have attached to my H100i did not cause any noise from the fan controller.

And btw the pump is really quiet if you bleed the air properly.

 

Please refrain from giving incorrect information if you arent 100% sure about what you're talking about...

[nohuevos]

I couldn't stand the noise from the stock fans. I switched to some notcuas and the noise at full load is less than the stock fans used to be at idle.

[Faceman]

Good luck

 

No, it is an issue with the stock fans and the fan controller. For some stupid weird reason the fan controller INSIDE the H100i CPU block makes a really loud noise when the stock fans are attached. The pump is almost completely silent.

I replaced the the stock fans and the issue immediately stops. Also making the fans go to 100% seems to reduce the noise coming from the fan controller, and putting them below 50% makes it much louder.

 

Obviously you dont have an H100i to know this for yourself, but I investigated and troubleshooted mine until I found the issue is 100% the stock fans. All other brands of fans I have attached to my H100i did not cause any noise from the fan controller.

And btw the pump is really quiet if you bleed the air properly.

 

Please refrain from giving incorrect information if you arent 100% sure about what you're talking about...

Just like you should refrain from giving information about the G10 bracket and its cooling.

 

Thats good that it worked for you, but the H100i is a noisy pump.  Look at all the reviews under the Reviews Tab on this website. They make it a point to measure pump noise.  The H100i is one of the loudest pumps out of all the CLCs tested.  Maybe it has to do with them using the stock fans, but that just sounds crazy how the stock fans are making the pump loud, but hey, whatever works.